Letting It Go
by mockingjay0916
Summary: When Evy is chosen for tribute, her boyfriend, Candon, volunteers to be tribute along with her. What will happen in the arena? OC. short story for fun so it might seem a it rushed


**Hey, please read this. It's a one-shot with all original characters. **

The reaping started once again as it always did at this time of year. I had managed to stay alive last year and not get chosen, but this year was a whole new draw and my name was among the thousands. I hated watching person after person die right on the tv. Every year for the past four years, I have had to watch my friends enter the arena and die. And never in any of those years did they die a peaceful death.

As I proceeded into the giant crowd gathering in the main square of District 10, I made my way into the middle and found my friends. Since last year when my best friend was chosen during the reaping, I had the hardest time making new friends. I was terrified of getting to close to someone and then having to let go.

Cadon then came over and kissed my forehead. Just having him by me was making this a tiny bit less painful, but nothing could take away the fear and anxiety I felt.

As they began the draw for the new tributes, the entire district fell silent. We all fear for this time of year, when two people were sent off to be killed. As they reached into the giant ball that contained all the girl's names. And when they read out the name, my whole world came crashing down.

It didn't matter weather I had made friends or not over the past year, I knew that I would have to say goodbye to all of them. To say goodbye to my family who has gone through so much trying to keep me alive these sixteen years. In that one second, I could feel the friendships that it has taken me years to build up, broke apart. The relationship that had grown between Cadon and me, was about to come down as everything crushed down on top of me.

I felt it nearly impossible to breath. It took all my effort and concentration to move my feet in front of me to take me to the stage. As I took the first step, everyone who separated me from the stage parted. I moved my way towards the stage and felt all the eyes on me.

When I reached the stage, our district's escort, Sean, and my new mentor, Erica, nodded to me. I stood at the edge of the stage and my eyes scanned the crowd but kept landing back on Cadon. I could feel the sobs ripping through me as I stood there and looked into his deep brown eyes that complimented his brown eyes perfectly. Just the thought of having to let him go tore through me.

"Now that we have our girl tribute, it's time for us to draw for the boys!" Sean announced. He reached him arm deep into the boys names and pulled out one. "Justin Micta!" he read out. I searched through the crowd looking for a small boy crying his eyes out.

"I volunteer!" I head the most angelic voice call out. This couldn't be happening.

"No!" I cried. "Please, don't do this," I pleaded. As much as I didn't want to go into the Hunger Games, it only made it worse to have to go into the games with my love. To know that at one point, one of us is going to have to die and the other is going to have to watch.

"I volunteer as tribute!" Cadon called out again. Why did this God forsaken world have to be so cruel? As I watched the Cadon run up to the stage with his arm raise above his head.

Once someone volunteered in District 10, they were almost automatically in the Games. There were usually no volunteers.

I watched helplessly as Cadon climbed onto the stage. "What is your name?" Sean asked.

"Cadon Eberhare," Cadon said loudly so the entire district could hear.

"Well, there we have it! The District 10 tributes for the fifty-fourth annual Hunger Games! Evy Quill and Cadon Eberhare!" Sean said proudly. How could anyone be so happy about so more lives being taken away from the Capitol was beyond me.

Cadon came over to me and turned me, unwillingly, to face him. "We'll get through this," Cadon promised. I found it very hard to see through the tears which was blurring my vision. I felt Cadon get closer to me and plant a solid kiss in my lips. It didn't feel like it normally did when we were alone. With the entire country of Panem watching, it just didn't feel right.

We were lead off the stage and into the town hall. I couldn't enjoy how magnificent it looked inside the building when my thoughts were clouded with the family I had to leave behind. My mother and father, my younger brother and sister. I knew that they wouldn't die when I was gone. We were one of the very lucky families in District 10 who always had food on our plate. My father had been raising sheep since I was little and my mother would use their fur to make and sell clothes and blankets.

I had Cadon's hand securely in my own and refused to ever let go. My time left on Earth was limited and I was determined to make the best of it. They tried to put us in separate rooms so we could have private goodbyes but we both refused. No one could separate us when we were together.

My family came first to say goodbye. I couldn't find the power to let go of my little brother and sister.

"Evy, take care of yourself," my father told me. The tears were flowing from everyone. "You do the same, Cadon."

"I will. I promise to take care of Evy," Cadon vowed. I couldn't get myself to rebut this, I was to taken by my tears. But when we were in the arena, I would do whatever it took to get Cadon home alive. I would give my life for him if it meant that he could get out of the arena alive.

My parents, brother and sister gave be a final embrace together. I wanted to savor it, I know it would be our last time all together as a family. I watched as my family exited the room. I just stared at the door even after they were gone.

Candon's parents came in a few minutes later. It was even more emotional for them. Candon was an only child and his parents would do anything for him. I had always been considered a part of his family, even though I feel like I don't deserve it.

"Please, come back," Candon's mother asked of me through tears.

"I'll try. But my first priority is getting Candon home." I wrapped my arms around her for the last time and felt her tears soak through my dress fabric.

We were escorted onto the train that was waiting for us. To get on a train and leave your home is the hardest thing you can do. To leave your family and friends behind. To leave you most cherished memories.

Candon and I went into my small room when the train finally departed. He tried to pull on a brave face for me but it fell through. We both lay in the bed, Candon's large, muscular arms were wrapped around me. We let the night slip by. When they knocked on the door to call us for supper, we never even made the smallest effort to get up. We just stayed in each other's company not wanting to let it go. We fell asleep together as well. It wasn't the first time I've fallen asleep with Candon. We had been friends since we were barley able to talk and we would always sleep over with each other. Of course, back then it didn't mean as much as it had in the past two years. We started to feel like more than childhood friends and our friendship eventually turned into something more.

The morning light shone through my eyelids and startled me. I could feel the train still moving under us. Candon was still asleep so I gently moved his arms from around me and went to the washroom. I was mesmerized by the running water. Even on a train, there seemed to be an endless supply of water at my fingertips. Maybe it was all part of the Capitol's plan. To make the tributes experience the luxury and relaxation of the Capitol and when they are put into the arena, they are much weaker.

I looked at myself in the mirror and was shocked to see what I mess I had become. My hair was in gigantic knots and my eyes were still bright red from all the crying.

"Evy?" I heard Candon asked quietly from the bedroom. I went back to the room.

"Good morning," I greeted him. A smile spread across his face when he saw me. I couldn't help but return the smile. Just staring into his eyes was like looking into space. You could see everything. What they reflected for me was what a perfect friend should be, everything that you look for in a partner and what everyone wishes they could be.

"When's breakfast? I'm starving," Candon asked. Now that he brought it up, I was starved as well. Crying all night can take its toll.

We both got up and brushed out teeth together. We played around with the water running from the bathtub a bit. We don't have this kind of luxury in District 10. Raising your livestock was a full time job. We stepped out of our room for the first time since we went in and headed to the front of the train cart. Everyone was already at the table eating breakfast. We greeted everyone and met our stylist, Cane and Aprette.

"So, have you done crying yet?" Erica asked with a mouthful of egg in her mouth.

"I'm not sure I have anymore water in me even if I wanted to cry," I admitted.

I hadn't realized how thirsty I was until I drank the entire contents of my glass in one go. I didn't even realize what I was drinking at first. As we ate, we watched a recap of the reapings starting with District 1. There was chaos with all the career tributes volunteering. When we watched the recap of the District 10 reaping, I found the tears that I thought I had cried out. The way I looked when I was on the stage and when Candon volunteered. How I had told him to stop. And it ended with Candon pulled me towards him and kissing me. That's for sure to get the audience's attention. The two lovers who are being forced to fight side by side. How romantic.

After breakfast, Candon and I went back to my room and we sat in front of the window facing each other like we used to do all the time when we were little. How we used to just play with each other using silly things like sticks and pieces of grass. But now, we just talk mostly. We eventually shifted until we were both lying on the ground with my head on his chest. The steady beat of his heart calmed me down as I listened to it make the most amazing sound in the world. How was I supposed to live without him? If I live longer than he does in the arena, would I keep fighting or would I go running off to the careers and let them finish me off. But how could I do that to my family? On the other hand, what was even the possiblility of me out living Candon? Probably the chances are slimmer than a starved four year old boy in the middle of winter begging for food in town.

We stayed like that for quite a while. The time passed and we would see the rolling hills outside turn into big mountains and into swamps. There was so much more of the world that I haven't had the chance to explore, and I probably would never get the chance to. But that still didn't mean that Candon should have that chance. If he makes it out of the arena alive, he would be richer than anyone we knew. He would be able to find a wife with no problem and he could raise a family.

The next couple of days passed much that the first. We would spend all our time together. We wouldn't let each other out of sight. When our prep team have to get us ready, we would do it in the same room. We were the most inseparable we have ever been. As we pulled into the Capitol, I saw what I thought I'd never get to see in my lifetime. The buildings so high up, the people with their weird fashions and the thing that I was most thankful to see was no starving people in the streets.

We were led into the training facility and up to the tenth floor. We almost didn't win when out stylist wanted to get us ready for the opening ceremonies. They insisted that we don't see each other until we got into the carriage, but we won then over. Just to think about how after the ceremonies we would have to start training and then we would be put into the arena.

They dressed us each in a costume that was of an animal. I was dressed as a goat, which made me feel very venerable and Candon was dressed as a cow, which made me feel a tiny bit better about my costume. As we went down to the ground floor and into a backroom where all the carriages were, we saw the other tributes as they arrived. The tributes from District 1 to Distrcit five looked like they could beat the crap out of me in an instant without even trying. But the tributes from District 12 were so skinny and shy looking that I'm sure if I put my mind to it, I could maybe get a good hit in.

We climbed into our carriage as the ceremony was starting and interlocked our hands between us. As the giant doors opened and revealed us to the whole country on Panem, I started to feel the nerves. Candon then gave my hand a little squeeze and our carriage proceeded forwards. The blinding lights were everywhere I looked. I had to keep looking forwards and smiling. I soaked in all the excitement and felt a bit better.

When the ceremony was over, we returned to the tenth floor and went directly to Candon's room with him still holding my hand. Once again, we fell asleep with each other and I let my worries seep away as I slowly slipped into unconsciousness.

The next morning, we had to start our training. I wasn't exactly thrilled about this seeing as I don't have a real talent. I guess I could run fast, but that was just because I had to chase my family's livestock around. We had our usual overwhelming breakfast as we watched the opening ceremonies together. We went down to the training facility and I headed to the knot tying booth first while Candon went to the shooting rage. I felt naked without Candon with me.

After an hour of trying, my knot tying didn't improve very much so I went over to the trapping and hunting. It might come in handy when in the arena as we are sure to run out of food fast. I wasn't too shabby at trapping so I moved onto the running area. I had run long distances before with ease so I ran for as long as I could. It was a while before I started to feel tired and stopped.

"Nicely done," the female tribute from District 8 complimented me.

"Thanks," I said kindly back. I guess it's a good idea to become friendly with the competition and maybe get some allies while I still can.

The days pasted and I didn't seem to be getting any better in the training. The only thing that I found that I excelled at was running. The evening of the judging came too fast for my liking. We were all waiting outside the training facility to be called in and show the gamemakers what we could do. I decided that the best things that I could do was run fast for them maybe shoot an arrow while I was running. I hadn't been that bad at archery, but I couldn't say that I was good either.

When Candon was called in, he kissed me on my forehead and proceeded in. I waited for what felt like an eternity until I was called in. The gamemakers were all seated a table and I decided to get it over with. Getting a low score wouldn't be the end of the world, but I didn't want to have a super low score in which no one would sponsor me and I would just die faster.

I went over to the treadmill and pushed it to it's limit. Keeping up was easy. I just kept my legs moving and kept on running for the full time. I have to admit that it was a really lame way to show the gamemakers what I could do, but it was the best I had.

I made my way back up to the tenth floor and waited , sitting in Candon's lap, for the scores to come up. And when they finally did, I wasn't surprised at my very average rating. I got a good 7.4 rating. When Candon's rating came up, I was so shocked that my mouth dropped open.

"How'd you get a 10.3?" I asked. Candon had the highest rating out of all of the tributes. Beating the careers by a mere few half points.

"I don't know. I just hit a few things and lifted some things up. Not really worth a 10.3," Candon said modestly.

The night came and went. The day went by without stopping. We were coached on what to say during our individual interviews. Our mentors wanted us to shows how much we loved each other to give us a bit of an edge and capture people's attention.

The interviews were just typical. Nothing to brag about, but what as really frightening was that the games was starting in the morning.

Candon and I spent the last night we would have together in peace. We made out a bit and then fell asleep like how we always did.

We were shaken awake by our stylist and whisked away from each other to get ready for the games. I was defiantly not ready. I would never be ready.

As Cane helped me get on my outfit for the games, I was having an anxiety attack. I got on the under garments and the outfit was simple, a dark blue t-shirt that was made of a thin fabric and skin tight black pants with a pair of brown boots.

I stepped into the plate and prepared myself for what was going to happen as I was raised into the arena to face my death.

The arena this year was on a mountain. I could see that all the tributes were all located around the base of the mountain and the Cornucopia was protected in a cave at the very front of the mountain. If I decided to run to the Cornucopia, I might not make it and the careers would kill me right away, but if I fled, I could have at least a little bit of time to hide away with Candon. I studied my options carefully and decided to run right at the Cornucopia, grab whatever I touched first and then run away and hide up the mountain. As the minute was nearing an end, I looked over to where Candon stood on his plate and tried to give him the message not to follow me but to meet up with me later. I couldn't tell if I he understood because the gong then sounded and I was off.

I was sprinting for my life and everything around me was a blur. As the Cornucopia was getting closer, I pushed myself faster than I had ever done before. I put a few things in my hands and bolted off into the trees on the left side of the mountain. I didn't bother to look back but I a knife was thrown at me. It just skidded my left arm. The pain seared through me but I continued to run. I had to find Candon wherever he was, but first, I had to get away. I kept running until I was far enough away. I put down the things that I had just gathered from the Cornucopia and looked at my arm. The knife had taken off the top layer of skin and was dripping with blood. I couldn't bare look at it so I searched through what I had. There was a small roll of knifes, a bottle of water, a small bag of rolls and a large neon yellow blanket. I ripped off a small piece of the blanket and tied it around my arm. Almost immediately, the blood soaked it through, but it was better than dripping blood everywhere I went. I looked around me trying to find Candon or some source of water. Nothing, just a lot of coniferous trees.

I continued into the forest by walking a slow pace. But all I could think about was Candon. Where was he? I continued to stumble my way through the trees and heard canon after canon sound as the bloodbath as the Cornucopia, was assuming, was still going on.

To give Candon a chance to catch up to me, I sat down against a tree in cover and waited until nightfall. Everything went black it was so hard to see past the darkness. Why couldn't I have grabbed a flashlight? But then again, if I turned it on, the other tributes might see me. I stayed silent as the animals howled and hooted. I couldn't help but feel like a little girl who was afraid of the dark.

When the fireworks started, I was so grateful that Candon's face didn't appear in the sky. When the fireworks ended, I took a chance and closed my eyes for the night.

Everyday was a battle. the gamemakers pulled something new everyday. Earthquake, falling boulders, mutant animals, acid rain. It was endless what they were doing to us. Everyday, I was terrified of going to sleep incase someone sneaks up on me.

A week had gone by and no sign on Candon. His face never appeared in the sky so I knew that he was still alive. Maybe the careers had formed and alliance with him because of him because of his high training score.

Going through it all without Candon felt like a nightmare within a nightmare. Being in the Hunger Games was bad enough, but without Candom was just adding to the agony of it all.

I was collecting my trapped animal when suddenly an arrow shoots out of the tree and narrowly misses me. I started running away as fast as I could and I could hear my attacker coming after me. I kept pushing myself harder and harder. I had been running for not even two minutes when I stupidly tripped over a tree root. I landed face first in the ground. I turned myself over and saw my attacker hovering over me. I closed my eyes and prepared for the end. It was a miracle I even made it this far into the games.

When nothing happened, I slowly opened my eyes and saw Candon kneeling in front of me. I could be happier so I reached my arms out and pulled him towards me. I pressed my lips onto his and felt the warmth of him once again on me. His hands moved and tangled in my hair. I pulled him closer and felt his body heat radiating down onto me. The moment couldn't have gotten any better. I just wanted it to last till the end of time.

Then I felt the most excruciating pain his my side. My grip on Candon was released and I fell back. I found myself gasping for breath. Candon was standing up and had an arrow loaded and ready to shoot. A few seconds after he released his arrow, a cannon was sounded signaling another death.

I was fighting back the blackness that was threatening to take over me. Candon bent over me and let out a scream.

"He got you in the side with a knife!" he exclaimed. I wouldn't be able to hold back the blackness much longer.

"Candon, promise me something," I gasped.

"Anything," Candon vowed. I took in his beauty and I couldn't help but marvel and him for the last time.

"Win," I commanded. And at that, the blackness swallowed me.

**Hope you guys enjoyed that. This was supposed to be a short story so that's why it was a bit rushed. But thanks and please review.**


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